Piérard D, Van Damme L, Moriau L, Stevens D, Lauwers S
Department of Microbiology, Akademisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 1997 Nov;63(11):4585-7. doi: 10.1128/aem.63.11.4585-4587.1997.
PCR for verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) was positive in 4.6% of 2,440 raw meat samples; only beef, sheep, and venison samples were positive. None of the isolated VTEC strains belonged to serogroup O157. Additional virulence factors were detected in only a minority of strains, suggesting that most of these meat VTEC isolates are not pathogenic.